AOW

What Is an AOW?

Under the National Firearms Act, “Any Other Weapon” is a catch-all category for NFA-regulated firearms that don’t fit neatly into other categories. The most common AOWs are pistol-grip-only shotguns — shotguns with barrels under 18 inches that were never designed to be fired from the shoulder. The Mossberg 590 Cruiser and PTR Jack are well-known examples. Unlike SBRs and SBSs, AOWs carry only a $5 NFA transfer tax rather than $200 — making them the most affordable NFA item to transfer.

AOW vs. Short Barrel Shotgun (SBS)

The distinction between an AOW and an SBS comes down to how the firearm was manufactured. A shotgun that was originally made with a stock and later had the stock removed becomes an SBS (requiring $200 tax stamp). A firearm manufactured from the beginning without a stock as a pistol-grip-only design is classified as an AOW ($5 tax stamp). Both require ATF Form 4 and the standard NFA wait time.

The NFA Transfer Process for AOWs

• Purchase through a licensed Class III dealer (us) and submit ATF Form 4.
• Pay the $5 transfer tax (not $200 like most NFA items).
• Submit fingerprints and CLEO notification.
• Wait for ATF approval — same timeline as other NFA items (6–12 months).

Frequently Asked Questions: Any Other Weapons (AOW)

What is an AOW?
An AOW (Any Other Weapon) is an NFA category covering firearms that don’t fit neatly into rifle, shotgun, or handgun classifications. Common AOW examples include: pistols with a forward vertical grip (a standard pistol with a vertical foregrip attached becomes an AOW), pen guns, wallet guns, disguised firearms, and certain smooth-bore pistols chambered in shotgun gauges (like the H&R Handy-Gun). Compact firearms like the Serbu Super Shorty (an ultra-short shotgun with a pistol grip) are also classified as AOWs.

What is the NFA transfer tax for an AOW?
The transfer tax for an AOW purchased from a dealer is $5 — significantly lower than the $200 tax that applied to suppressors, SBRs, and SBSs before January 2026. That $200 fee has now been eliminated, but the AOW tax was always $5 and remains $5. Manufacturing an AOW yourself (Form 1) still incurs the standard NFA fee — verify current ATF fee schedules before filing.

What happens if I add a vertical foregrip to a pistol?
Adding a vertical foregrip to a pistol (not a rifle) converts it to an AOW under federal law — possession without NFA registration is a federal felony. An angled foregrip (AFG) does not trigger AOW classification. If you want to add a vertical foregrip to a pistol, you must file ATF Form 1 to register it as an AOW first. This is one of the most common inadvertent NFA violations — always verify before attaching accessories to pistols.

See Also: Machine Guns • Short-Barrel Rifles • Short-Barrel Shotguns • Suppressors • ATF eForms

Questions about AOWs or the NFA process? We’ve been processing NFA transfers since the market opened. Call 800-917-7137 or use our live chat.